Book Review: Drawing as Ethnographic Practice

Drawn to See: Drawing as an Ethnographic Method. By Andrew Causey. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2017.
Making Comics. By Lynda Barry. Montreal: Drawn and Quarterly, 2019.

“Drawing is undergoing a revival in anthropology. A staple of early twentieth-century field note observations, but long superseded by the advent of photography and film, drawing has been taken up with renewed interest by scholars and practitioners in the anthropology of the senses, child-centered anthropology, and emerging, often collaborative forms of “graphic anthropology” that capitalize on the storytelling power of ethnographic illustration, comics, and graphic narratives. Yet many anthropologists who are interested in using drawing as an ethnographic method or output may be unsure how to do so, lack confidence regarding their drawing skills, or wish to expand their repertoire of approaches and techniques. Two recent books offer not only reflective accounts of drawing as practice but also “how-to” guides with exercises for developing a drawing practice…”

This review article, published in Visual Anthropology Review (2021) features drawn exercises from both books. The full drawing journals are located below.

Etudes from “Drawn to See: Drawing as Ethnographic Method” by Andrew Causey

Exercises from Making Comics by Lynda Barry

See the full review here